Assembly machine



' July 28, 1953 N. TUROFF ASSEMBLY MACHINE 5 Sheets-Shae}; 1

Filed April 15, 1949 ATTORNEYS July 28, 1953 N. L. TUROFF v ASSEMBLY MACHINE .5- Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1949 ATTORN EYS July 28., 1953 N.'.L.'TUROFl-" 2543,6117

ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed Api'il 15. 1949 SS eeL S- 3 ATTOR N EYS Filed April 15. I943 ATTORNEYS a table top with edging therefor.

Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED ST 2,646,617 ASSEMBLY MACHINE Nicholas L. Turoff, Baltimore, Md., assignor to National Store Fixture 60., Inc., Baltimore, Md., a, corporation of Maryland Application April 15, 1949, Serial No. 87,685

The present invention relates to an assembly machine. More particularly the present invention relates to a machine for assembling a table top or a similar member with edging therefor.

Table tops for restaurant tables, counters, or other articles of furniture, are conventionally made of laminated wood or other materials. In order to give tops of this character a finished appearance, it is customary to provide a central groove about the edges thereof and to insert within the groove the central rib of an edging material usually of metal or plastic having a T- shaped conformation. In actual practice it has been rather difficult to insert the central rib of the T edgingwithin the groove and it has been difficult to smoothly conform the edging to a top, especially where the top is not round but of a rectangular shape provided with rounded corners.

A general object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a novel process for the assembly of a table top or the like with edging therefor.

A second general object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine for assembling A third object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine for the assembly of a table top or the likewith a means for firmly and uniformly assembling an edging with the top as by exerting a uniform pressure thereon both in a direction to press the edging toward the edge of the top, and also in a direction to stretch the edging or roduce a tension therein.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a means for rotating a table top at variable speeds while assembling an edging therewith so as to insure uniform assembly of edging and tops of any desired shape.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will'be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

11 Claims. (Cl. 29-200) Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the the present invention; a v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the machine illustrating the pressure arm and roller;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the drive; 7

Fig. 5 is a prospective detail of a portion of a table top; r Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram of the various elements of the machine;

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the pressure arm and pressure piston in assembling an edging on a generally rectangular table top;

machine of 6 Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 with the piston,

pressure arm and, table top in another position;

and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the assembly of edging with a generally square table top.

Referring to the figures of the drawing and particularly Figures 1 and 2, the machine of the present invention includes a base It] having sides formed from a pair of channel members II and 12. The channels II and I2 may be spaced as bya pair of cross bars [3 and I4 suitably welded to the, channels, which also serve to support a speed reducer l5; other cross braces may also be provided. Welded to one end of the channels I I and 12 are a pairof vertically extending plates is and Il, joined at their top as by a cover member 18 and at their front end by a plate I9.

The channel member'I Qa extending from plate 19 serves to support a pair of four-way valves 20 and 2I- of a, conventional construction and providedwith operating handles 22 and 23. Supported by the plate l9 is'a pneumatic cylinder24 provided with a suitable pitson 25 and rod 26 terminating in a plate 21 the entire. assembly of cylinder 24, piston 25, rod 26 and plate 21 functioning as a hold-down ram for the table top T as will be hereinafter set forth. A plate 28 provided with a pair of prongs 29 and 36 extending into the top T serves to support and rotate the table top T without slippage. The plate 28 is .supported on and rotated with a vertical shaft 3| by a flanged coupling 32 positioned on a shaft 3l The shaft 3i also carries between the coupling 32 and a collar 34, a cam plate 35 provided with a pair of adjustablecams 36 and 31, as shown, although any number of such cams may be provided.

The shaft 3| is supported for rotation in the bearing 38 in turn supported by a cross member 39 on the frame 40 and also on a bearing indicated at 38a. Cooperating with the camplate 35 and the cams 36 and 3'! is a follower roller 4| supported in a fork 42 on the rod 43. The rod 43 and fork 42 are supported for reciprocating motion by the frame 40 and a spring (not shown) urges the rod 43 upwardly into engagement with the cam plate. The lower end of the rod 43 oper ates the four-way valve 45.

The lower portion of the shaft3l is connected to a. gear 47 by a, clutch 48 engaged and disengaged by the cone 49 which operates the lever 50. The cone 49 is in turn operated by ring 5i pivotally connected to the usual clutch shifter collar. The ring 5| is carried by the member 52 pivotally carried by links 53 and 54. The link 53 3 is p-ivotally connected to the lever 54 pivoted on frame and connected to the operating lever 56. Movement of the operating lever 59 in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2 will, therefore, lift the .cone 49 of the clutch as actuating the clutch til, to connect for operation gear 41 and shaft 3| so that the shaft 3| is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 6.

The gear 41 meshes with a drive pinion 59 driven by the speed reducer I5. The speed reducer I5 is in turn provided with a driven pulley 68 driven by the belt GI. The belt SI is driven by a pulley 62 rotatable with the driven shaft 63 of the speed selector 6% (see Fig. 4). The speed selector $4 is driven by a pulley 55 driven by a belt 66 driven by a pulley 53 on the drive shaft of the motor 68. The speed selector is operative through a suitable range of speeds by an operating lever 69 pivotally connected at ill to the piston rod II. The piston rod II is operated by a piston 72 within the pneumatic cylinder '23; the assembly of piston I2, pneumatic cylinder I3 and piston functioning as a speed selector ram, so that movement of the rod H upon the lever 69 will serve to change the speed of operation of the shaft 53 and as hereinafter set forth the speed of rotation of table top T.

Extending from the plate '86 are a pair of cars I4 and 75 having journaled therebetween a pivot 6 for a pressure arm 11. Pivoted to one end of the pressure arm Ti, at I8, is a piston rod I9 operatively connected to a piston 88 within the cylinder 8!. The cylinder 8i, piston Biland piston rod 19 together from a pressure arm ram. The

adjustable thereon is a block 55. A nut 86 on the bolt 84 serves to retain the block in any desired angular setting. Slidably mounted within the block 85 is a rod 8'! held in position relative to the block 85 by set screws 88. The rod 87 carries a fork 89 at one end and mounted in the fork 89 for rotation on thepivot pin 90 is a roller 9i, having flanges 9Ia.

In Figure 5 there is shown a portion of a table top T including a plurality of layers 9-2, and having an edge groove 93. The edging E includes an ornamental ribbon portion 94 and a tongue portion 95 continuously adapted to extend into the groove 93 and be frictionally retained therein although, if desirable, a suitable adhesive or a nail such as nail N may be used.

Referring to Figure 6 there is here diagrammatically shown the various elements of the machine and the control circuit therefor. An air supply pipe is indicated at 93 which may be connected to any suitable source of high pressure air or other motivating fluid. The pipe 96 is connected to pressure regulator 97 by pipe 98 and the pressure regulator is in turn connected to four-way control valve 45 by a pipe 99. Another branch pipe 129 connects the supply pipe-S8 to the four-way holddown control valve 2I and still another branch pipe IIlI connects the air supply pipe 96 to the four-way pressure arm control valve 29 through a pressure regulator I92.

The valve 45 is provided with an exhaust pipe I03 and a pair'of pipes Hi l and I65 connected through air speed regulating valves 4G8 and I09 to opposite ends of the cylinder I3. Bleeders I06 and Ill! are also provided for manual-operation. The valve 2i is provided with an vfit.

4 exhaust pipe lit and is connected by pipes Hi and H2 through air speed regulating valves H3 and lit with the opposite ends of cylinder 26. The valve 20 is provided with an exhaust pipe I I5 and is connected by pipes H6 and Ill through the air speed regulating valves H8 and H9 with opposite ends of the cylinder BI. One end of cylinder 82 is also provided with a relief valve 120.

Operation In operating the machine of the present invention the operator initially inserts a table top T between the plates 21 and 28 so that the top is approximately centered therein. Thereafter he operates the valve 21 to a position to pass air from the supply pipe 96 through pipe let, the valve 21, pipe HI, and the speed control valve H3 to the upper end of the hold down cylinder This action forces the rod 25 downwardly and firmly clamps the table top between the plates 2! and 29. Thereafter the rod 81 and block 85 are adjusted so that the roller 9! will at all positions of the table top T exert a force not only perpendicular to the edge of the table top but also in a direction opposed to the direction of rotation. The importance of this angular adjustment is evident by referring to Figures '7 to 9, inclusive. In the full line position shown in Figure 7, for example, the arm 11 exerts a force about equally distributed perpendicularly to the edge of the table top and parallel thereto and opposed to the direction of rotation, i. e. in the direction of the arrows a: and y. The force y tends to force the edging E into the edge of the table top T and the force as tends to exert a pull or stretch on the edging E so as to insure a snug As shown in dotted line position after the top T has turned so that the roller M has passed beyond the corner of the top there is only a slight force exerted perpendicularly to the edge of the top T. If, therefore, one attempted to increase the force a; in the full line position beyond that shown there would be insufficient force perpendicular to the table top (force y) in the dotted line position.

The effective length of the rod 81 should also be adjusted so as to permit the piston 30 to operate within proper limits in the cylinder 8i. The foregoing adjustments once made for a particular table top will be proper for any other top of the same size. The cams 36 and 3'! are also properly adjusted so that they will be operative to slow down the rotation of the table top after the edging has been applied to each of the longitudinal edges since too rapid a speed of rotation at the corners may cause the edging to be spaced from the edge immediately after each corner. Inasmuch as the table top T is long and relatively narrow only two cams are shown and the top is rotated slowly from a point where the roller 9i begins to round the corner, all along the end edge and around the next corner and rapidly only along the two longitudinal edges. Where a square table top, such as the table top T of Figure 9, is being treated either four cams are used and the speed is reduced four times or no cams are used and the speed of the driving motor is reduced. As may be'understood, cams of any shape or size may be used for speed reduction where table tops of irregular shape are being assembled with edging. By this arrangement the tops may be assembled with theedging at the maximum speed compatible with smooth assembly.

After the foregoing adjustments have been to allow air to flow through pressure regulator I02, pipe Ill and the air speed control valve I I9 into one end of the cylinder 8|. This action exerts a pressure to'force the rod I9 outof the cylinder 8| and applies pressure to the arm I1. The air speed control valve II8 traps the air on the rod end of the cylinder 8| and allows only a predetermined volume of air to pass through it. This governs the speed of the piston rod 16 and the arm TI, thus preventing a. too sudden engagement of the roller 9| with the edging 94. Speed control valve I I9 acts in a similar capacity on the reverse stroke of the piston rod 19. Any outward movement of the rod 19 by the piston- 80 simultaneously exhausts air through the air speed control valve II8, the pipe II6 and the valve 20 which connects the pipe 6 to exhaust pipe II5. Inward movement of the rod I9 exhausts air through speed control valve H9, pipe I l1 and the valve 20 which connects the pipe II] to exhaust pipe H5. The operator thereafter pulls lever 56 to connect shaft 3| to the gear 41 and thereby cause the motor 68 to rotate the shaft 3 I through belt 66, speedselector 64, shaft 63, belt 6|, speed reducer I5, pinion 6|, gear 41 and clutch 48. Thereafter as the shaft 3| rotates the cam members 36 and 31 strike the roller :4I to move the rod 43 downwardly which operatesthe plunger of the valve 45 to a position'to cause air to flow intopipe I04 and through the air speed regulator I08 into the upper end of the cylinder 13. At the same time the valve 45 connects pipe I05 to the exhaust pipe I03. This action moves the piston I2 downwardly and causes rod II to move thelever 69 downwardly to correspondingly adjust the speed selector 64 to a lower speed. When speed. During this air movement through pipes I04 and I05 manual valves I06 and I0! are closed,

but if it is desiredto operate the machine at constant speed, lever 69 is locked manually into the proper position and valves I06 and I0'I are opened.

When acomplete rotation of the top has been produced the handle 56 is moved in an inward direction to disengage the clutch from shaft 3|, from the gear 41 and stop the rotation of the table top T. Thereafter the handle 22 of the valve 20 is moved to a position to connect pipe I I6 to the branch air supply pipe |0I and simultaneously connect pipe III to exhaust 5. This action causes rod I6 to move inwardly against the action of the spring 19a to move the pressure roller 9| away from edge of the top T so that the flanges 9Ia of the roller will not interfere with removal of the top T.

The handle 23 of the valve 2| is then-moved to a position to connect pipe II2 to the branch air supply pipe I00 and pipe III-to exhaust pipe H0. The flow of air through pipe II2 will lift the piston 25, the rod 26 and the plate 21 to direction so that the piston 00 is being moved rapidly; upward. Unless air is allowed to exhaust through, the relief valve I20 therefor, an excessive pressure will be built up, the rotation of the top T will be retarded and the tabletop T may break loose from the prongs 29 and 30 on the I plate 28 to cause scarring. A

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without ,departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: r

1. An apparatus for assembling a table top or the like with edging therefor comprising means for rotating said top, a pressure arm having one end positioned adjacent the edge of said rotating top, means including a fluid pressure cylinder and piston for applying a uniform fluid pressure through said arm to said edging as it is being assembled with said top, a conduit connected to each end of said cylinder, valve means connected to a source of fluid pressure and said conduits to supply pressure fluid to either end of said 'cylinderto thereby move said pressure arm toward or away from said top, a speed control valve in each of said conduits to controlthe speed i of movement of the said pressure arm, and relief means attached to one end of the cylinder to prevent application of an excessive fluid pres:- sure when the piston is being moved rapidly against the source of the fluid pressure.

2. An apparatus for assembling a table topor the like with edging therefor, comprising means means responsive to said cam andfollower for .varying the speed of rotation of said rotating means, thereby allowing said arm to automatically apply the edging around the curved .portions of said table top in a uniform manner,

' 3. An. apparatus for assembling a table top or the like havingcurved portions and relatively straight portions with an edging therefor comprising means for rotating said top, means for continuously pressing said edging into firm engagement with said top, and control means secured to said rotating means including cam means and a valve,'said valve responsive to the movement of said cam means for controlling the speed of said rotating means and operative to reduce the speed of said rotating means automatically when said pressing means is pressing said edging,

into the relatively straight portions of said top.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the control means for automatically controlling the speed of said rotating means isactuated by fluid pressure.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including means for holding said table. top onto said rotating means, said holding means being actuated by fluid pressure and contacting the table top on the opposite surface than said rotating means.

6. An apparatus for assembling a table top or the like having curved portions and relatively straight portions and edging therefor comprising means for rotating said top including a speed changing means, means for continuously pressaces-s r:

7 in said ed ing into firm engagement with said top, and control means responsive to the rotational position of said top and operatively connected to said speed changing means actuated by fluid pressure to reduce the speed of said rotating means when said pressing means is pressing said edging into the curved portion of said top and increase the speed of said rotatin means when said'pressing means is pressing said edging into the relatively straight portions of saidtop.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6- wherein said pressing means includes a pressure arm pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end positioned adjacent the edge of said rotating top, and a fluid pressure cylinder and piston connected to the other end of said pressure arm for applying a uniform fluid pressure through said arm to said edging as it is being assembled With said top.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including means for holding said table top onto said rotating means, said holding means being actuated by fluid pressure and contacting the table top on the opposite surface than said rotating means.

9. An apparatus for assembling a table top or the like having curved portions and relatively straight portions and edging therefor comprising means for rotating said top including a speed changing means, means for continuously pressing said edging into firm engagement with said top, and control means secured to said rotating means including a cam rotatable with said top and operatively connected to said speed changing means actuated by fluid pressure to reduce the speed of said rotating means when said pressing means is pressing said edging into the curved portion of said top and increase the speed of said rotating mean when said pressing means is pressing said edging into the relatively straight portions of said top.

' 10. An apparatus for assembling a table top or the like having curved portions and relatively straight portions and edging therefor comprising means for rotating said top including a speed changing means, means for continuously pressing said edgin into firm engagement with said top, and control means responsive'to the rotational position of said top and operatively connected to said speed changing'means to reduce the speed of said rotating means When said pressing means is pressing said edging into the curved portion of said top and increase the speed of said rotatingmeans when said pressing means is pressing said edging into the relatively straight portionsof said top.

11. Apparatus for assemblying a table top having curved portions and relatively straight portions with an edging therefor, comprising means for rotating said top, a pressure arm having one end positioned adjacent the edge of said rotating top, fluid pressure means operatively connected to the other end of said pressure arm for applying a uniform pressure through said arm to said edging as it is being assembled with said top, means controlling the flow of pressure fluid to said fluid pressure means, and control means responsive to the rotational position of said top for reducing the speed of said rotating means when said pressure arm is pressing said edging into the curved portions of said top and increasing the speed of said rotating means when said pressure arm is pressing said edging into the relatively straight portions of said top.

' NICHOLAS L. TUROFF'.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

